


Respect Earned

by oriolegirl



Series: Garibaldi in Atlantis [2]
Category: Babylon 5, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-01
Updated: 2008-06-01
Packaged: 2017-10-17 11:10:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/176244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oriolegirl/pseuds/oriolegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sheppard is sort of surprised to find McKay standing still while Garibaldi essentially fusses over him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Respect Earned

**Author's Note:**

> B5’s Michael Garibaldi inserted into the Stargate universe. Sort of slots into the same ‘verse as [The Rising of the Sun](http://archiveofourown.org/works/176240). Beta by the always fabulous [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/silver_cyanne/profile)[**silver_cyanne**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/silver_cyanne/)

  
Garibaldi doesn't know how it starts, but he can make a pretty good guess. Someone overheard something and took it completely the wrong way. The story gets passed on and suddenly Marines and scientists are making snide comments just loud enough to be heard. He only gets wind of it when it ramps up to people purposely bumping in the hallways and pushing others into walls.

McKay asks -- no, orders -- him to rein in his goons. But Garibaldi doesn't pay attention, too caught up in the influx of new bodies, and things only escalate further. When his coffee is suddenly replaced by something that bears no resemblance, in either look or taste, to coffee, Garibaldi sees red. Suddenly, dessert for the week is made from lemons. McKay glares at him whenever they cross paths.

And then Garibaldi is ordered to "Fix it." The unspoken "or else you're gone from the SGC" hangs in the air. Garibaldi doesn't know how to be anything but a Marine and he doesn't want to find out where he'd wind up if he's kicked out of the Stargate program.

McKay won't talk to him. As far as he's concerned, Garibaldi is just a dumb grunt. Garibaldi is actually pretty handy with anything mechanical, but there are some things a good security chief keeps to himself. So he calls in a few favors.

Garibaldi is waiting when McKay comes out of his lab at an hour when all good little scientists are in bed. McKay is startled when he pushes off the wall, but then he glares and Garibaldi can tell he's gearing up for a tirade. Garibaldi holds up a hand to stop him. "I tell my guys to stop, you tell your guys to stop, and this never happens again."

McKay stares at him for a long time before he nods. "Yes. Yes, ok. It's probably for the best. The morons have few enough brain cells that they can't afford to waste any of them devising new ways to torture Marines."

Garibaldi would grin, but he's got one more thing to do. He holds out five large Cadbury's Dairy Milk bars, one for each day of lemon dessert. "Sorry about the lemons."

"Oh," McKay says, quietly, staring at the chocolate bars. He looks up and Garibaldi can see him put on the face he usually wears as he reaches out to take them. "Well, of course. It's only what --. I mean, I will, ah, restore your coffee privileges."

Garibaldi slides in his hands in pockets and rocks back on his heels. "Thanks, Doc. You have a good evening." He heads down the hall and when he looks back, McKay is still standing there, staring at the chocolate bars in his hands.

~*~

Sheppard is having an awful day. Of course, he's been having awful days ever since he'd been thrust into the role of military commander of Atlantis. But today is particularly bad because the news has gotten out that he's picked McKay to be on his team. He's had an almost constant stream of people, from Elizabeth and Carson to various scientists and Marines, asking him if he's really sure he wants to do this.

When he looks up to find Garibaldi standing in front of his desk, more or less at attention, he silently groans. One thing he'd learned before they'd even left Earth was that Garibaldi doesn't really stand at attention. For anyone. So he's not surprised when Garibaldi says, "Major, about McKay."

"Yes, Sergeant, I'm sure I want McKay on my team."

"But that's not what I --"

"And that's final. Is there anything else?"

Garibaldi stands stock still for a minute before he says, "No, sir," and walks out of his office.

Several hours later, Sheppard enters his quarters and finds an envelope sitting in the middle of his bed. Opening it warily, he finds a piece of paper, a PowerBar, and an epi pen. The paper, it turns out, is a note:

_For missions with McKay:_

_He's serious about the citrus. If he starts to go into shock, jab the epi pen in his thigh._

_He's serious about the hypoglycemia, too. If he starts to complain about being hungry or gets lost in his work, stick a PowerBar in his mouth._

Sheppard sticks the epi pen and the PowerBar in his vest. Whoever put them in his room took a huge risk to do so; the least he can do is believe in what they had to say.

Three days later, they're getting ready for their first mission as a team. Sheppard steps out into the hallway to find out what's taking McKay so long. McKay is fiddling with the straps on his vest and Sheppard is about to walk over to help, when he sees Garibaldi jog up. He says, "Hey, Doc. Don't forget these," and holds out a PowerBar and an epi pen.

McKay snorts. "As if I'd forget either of those. I've already got five PowerBars and an epi pen."

"Well," Garibaldi says, tucking them into whatever free space he can find, "another one can't hurt."

Sheppard is sort of surprised to find McKay standing still while Garibaldi essentially fusses over him. McKay is not one to willingly accept being fussed over.

Garibaldi checks the straps of McKay's vest before stepping back. "Come back alive, Doc."

"I have no intention of doing otherwise."

"Then I'll see you at dinner."

Six hours later, McKay is engrossed in his tablet and the Ancient console they’ve discovered. Sheppard notices that his hands aren't waving as much and his talking has become mumbling. He unwraps the PowerBar he'd tucked in his vest and hands it to McKay who noticeably perks up after a few minutes.

When they get back to Atlantis, Sheppard goes in search of Garibaldi. He stops him as he’s leaving the armory. "You tried to tell me something the other day and I cut you off. It won't happen again."

Garibaldi slides his hands into his pockets and nods and Sheppard knows he's been forgiven -- and that he’s probably also earned a little trust.  



End file.
